Today Koei Tecmo sent in via press release a large batch of artwork and 1080p screenshots showcasing recently revealed characters.
Parts of the screenshots showcased below were already released yesterday on the official site, but there are plenty new ones and this time around they’re in full resolution, so I’m including them all for your perusal.
As a bonus, we also get plenty of new information on the characters themselves.
The first one we hear about is Yasuke, a dark skinned samurai of African origins who will confront the protagonist William wearing black heavy armor and wielding a giant axe. His attacks, propelled by an extraordinarily large body, are powerful, and being hit means receiving fatal injuries.
Yasuke is protected by a guardian spirit named Atlas Bear, that embodies the violent power of nature. Those who gain its patronage are blessed by a robust body and great muscular strength. They’re believed to survive even the most dangerous conditions.
Like almost all the characters included in this article, Yasuke is a historical figure, who served under Oda Nobunaga during the Sengoku Jidai.
Edward Kelley is William’s nemesis, and like him, he comes from a distant land. He wears a robe as black as a crow, and often laughs sadistically.
He is very skillfull with alchemy, which he uses to make a mockery of William in battle. His guardian spirit is named Uroboros, and is said to carry the significance of the cycle, including destruction and creation, or death and rebirth.
Using the secrets of alchemy, Kelley can infuse demonic power into human bodies and raise the dead.
Tenkai is a monk of the Tendai sect, a fact of esoteric Buddhism. He perceives that the art of onmyodo is being mixed with alchemy, and combined with the misuse of the spiritual power named Amrita. This makes Tenkai anxious, because he believes that it’ll cause calamitous events.
His guardian spirit is Genbu, which looks like a giant turtle and a snake merged together. It’s worshiped as the sacred beast protecting the north, and symbolizes water in the theory of the five ley lines. Its appearance of a hybrid between snake and turtle symbolizes the union of yin and yang, and is strongly connected with onmyodo.
Fuku is a female onmyodo Teacher. She is also versed in alchemy, and can freely control the elements of earth, water, wind and fire that can be seen as a quadrant. She can also summon a demon called Shikigami to do her bodding. She decides to help William on the path of omnyodo.
Yagyu Sekishusai is a monk coming from the lands of Yamato (which is today the Nara Prefecture). He has been researching the way of the sword with great dedication, following strict training including swinging his sword against tengu at night. As a result, he is said to have mastered the mysterious swordless technique to challenge armed combatants with empty hands, taking away their own weapons to defeat them.
Hōzōin In’ei is a Buddhist monk belonging to the temple of Kofukuji in the lands of Yamato. One day, while training, he was inspired by the shape of the crescent moon reflected on the water surface. As a consequence, he created the Jumonji spear technique, using a cross-shaped spear with two sickle blades to the left and right of the main blade. It’s a very different technique from the that had been used in battle before then.
While progressing in the game, William will unlock “Master Missions” in the training grounds. There are master missions for each weapon types, including Omnyodo and Ninjutsu. If you spar against the masters from the East and the West, and win, you’ll be able to learn very powerful “mysteries.”
Last, but not least, we learn about Ibukiyama, where many soldiers rotted away, consumed by many battles. Now no one dares to venture there. The mountain is derelict, and is said to be a den of Yokai.
A terrible Yokai named Onyudo waits for William there in a remote area where human feet haven’t walked for a long time.
In Ibukiyama, which has a striking atmosphere due to the rain and fog, fallen warriors hunt the defeated soldiers of the western army wandering into danger after losing the battle of Sekigahara.
You can check out the screenshots below. NiOh will release in North America on February 7th, published directly by Sony Interactive Entertainment. European gamers will have to wait until February 8th, while Japanese gamers will get the game last, on February 9th.
